SYLVA 



ELIZABETH GC^CRANE 

AUTHOR OF "BERQUIN" 



NEW YORK 

A. D. F. RANDOLPH COMPANY 



TVV^o coi^ih:s heceive. 

Library of CotiseQ9% 
Office of tb« 

WAR ' 9 1900 

K*gl<t«r of C«j>yrlgkt% 






:^'^''i.o 



5G514 



Copyright, 1900, by 
A. D. F. Randolph Company 



SECOND COPY, 



Press of 

Wm. C. Martin Company 

New York 






TO MY DEAR AUNT 

Mrs. GEORGE P. MARSH 

WHOSE GRACIOUS SYMPATHY AND EVER-READY HELP 

I CAN NEVER REPAY, THIS LITTLE BOOK 

IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

SURRENDER I 

SLEEPING BEAUTY 3 

WINTER SOLSTICE 6 

PROSERPINE (the DEPARTURE) 9 

PROSERPINE (the RETURN) 12 

WIND 15 

GENIUS W^J-MJ TALENT 1 7 

THE LOST STAR I8 

LOST 19 

ESCAPE 21 

A CLOUDY MORNING 24 

WHICH? 25 

CASSANDRA 27 

DISCOVERED '.29 

AN AUTUMN SHOWER 3 1 

THE SOWER 33 

THE REAPER , 34 

NIGHT AND DEATH 35 

CHAINS . . , 36 



Vlll CONTENTS 



THE CZARS CALL . 37 

HALF-TALENT 3g 

MARPESSA TO APOLLO 41 

CONTRADICTION 46 

WAITING 47 

GENTIAN 48 

INCONSTANCY 50 

■love's BIRTH 51 

love's death 52 

SPRING 53 

SONG 55 

THE NORTH 58 

CINDERELLA (tHE TRANSFORMATION) . . . . 61 

CINDERELLA (tHE BALL) 63 

GREETING 64 

GOETHE AND THE MODERN FREDERIKE .... 65 

A PHANTASY 76 

SONNETS ..... 83 



SURRENDER 



'npHE March buds are astir, 
The snow is melting fast, 
The larch doth tassel her, 

The spring is here at last ; 
Hark to your heart, dear, see 
Love quicken there for me. 

The ice-bands loose the brooks, 
They overflow, they run ; 

In warm, green-growing nooks 
They laugh up to the sun ; 

The coldness in your eyes 

Melts it in love's surprise ? 

I kiss this frank, white hand, 
Why trembles it of late? 

And lo ! at my command 

The conscious blood dyes straight 

Your cheek with deeper glow 

Than the pale v/ind-flow'rs know. 



SURRENDER 



To roving clouds 'tis given 
To swim the vap'ry blue ; 

Within your eyes' deep heaven 
I plunge mine, seeking you; 

Ah! then your lids down-cast, 

Impris'ning hold mine fast. 

There ring from vale and hill 
Soft songs of joyous birds ; 

Your voice is gay, and still 

Makes sweet our common words ; 

A lover's ear alone 

Detects love's minor tone. 

The happy earth you tread 

As proudly as before ; 
Grace diadems your head 

As queens were crowned of yore; 
But like the birch your pride 
Just trembles at my side. 

Spring fills the languid air, 
And passion pulsates warm 

About you : Fortress fair, 
Surrender to love's storm ; 

Your heart's high citadel 

Must yield unto my will. 



SLEEPING BEAUTY 



SLEEPING BEAUTY 

" V\7AKE me not yet ; I wander in my 

dream 
Through sunny fields, a laughing child I seem 
With children, while above me turreted, 
White 'gainst the blue, our palace lifts its 
head ; 
Wake me not yet." 

" Wake me not yet ; high grows the hedge of 

thorn, 
The living death of many a prince forlorn. 
I thank these magic laughters as they rise 
Which ringing, drown the cursing and the 

cries ; 
Wake me not yet." 

" Wake me not yet ; the green-lit forest glade 
Is pleasant with the chasing light and shade. 
And hark! the merry horn winds notes that 

far. 
Far sweeter than the tones of lovers, are ; 
Wake me not yet." 



SLEEPING BEAUTY 



" Wake me not yet ; the hedge of thorn 

grown high, 
Doth interlace so thick, no human sigh 
May pierce or pass it. Hundred years, your 

charm 
Enfolds me as my nurse's withered arm; 
Wake me not yet." 



" Bid me sleep on ; full many a knight doth 

pass, 
Bowing with lowly plume that sweeps the 

grass ; 
They lift their eyes, an homage gay I read 
Within them and no more, no more I 

need; 
Bid me sleep on." 



" Bid me sleep on ; the hedge bursts into 

bloom 
At times and brightens all the forest-gloom, 
And through the flaming flowers with princely 

grace 
Smiles in upon my rest, the form, — the 

face; 
Bid me sleep on." 



SLEEPING BEAUTY 



" I speak in dreams and wildly. Who is this ? 
He bends, can passion's self burn in one 

kiss ? 
Oh Love! I fear thee ; art thou joy or pain? 
Come, Love, — not yet, Love, let me dream 
again ; 
Bid me sleep on." 



WINTER SOLSTICE 



WINTER SOLSTICE 

TT^INTER round us, 
Ice hath bound us, 
Snows surround us 

With chilly shroud ; 
Yet rejoice we. 
Earth-joy voice we, 
Gladness noise we 
Shouting aloud. 
Sweet earth, forget thy wintry pain ; 
The sun now turns to thee again, 
Far down the south behold him pause. 
One instant, checked by changeless laws 
He stands to gaze, lost in amaze 
At the vast realms his foot may never pace, 
Then joyous turns 
His look that burns. 
And northward throws it on his true love's 
face. 



He is coming ; 
Waters running. 
Like bees humming 
In sultry noon, 



WINTER SOLSTICE 



Snow is thawing, 
Crows are cawing, 
Tides soon drawing 
Will be the moon. 
Sap stirs, and nearer ev'ry night 
We hear his echoing footfall light, 
And day now loiters every eve 
More loath to go, as she did grieve 
To lose his sight, 
And morning's light 
For joy creeps sooner up th* expectant sky, 
And birds of spring 
Ere long will wing 
Their northward way with many an airy cry. 



Earth, thy lover 

Thou'lt recover, 

See, the rover 

Back to thee hastes 

Climbing ever. 

Pausing never ; 

Thine eyes sever 

Him from the wastes. 
His runner's brow is crowned with fire, 
His mighty limbs no toil can tire, 
Though bathed in sweat, celestial dew, 



WINTER SOLSTICE 



Each heavenly steep he gains, anew 

His ardent eye 

Doth pierce the sky 
To find his bride, and love-hot heaves his 
breast : 

Though snow-bound still, 

His kisses' thrill 
Shall rouse thee, earth, in blossoms loveliest, 



PROSERPINE 



PROSERPINE 

(the departure) 

npHEN to his queen the dark-browed King 

of shades 
Turned smiling, where she drooped at his 

right hand 
In the eternal twilight : " Go," he said, 
''Return to earth and leave me if thou wilt." 
She, as the half-forgotten name of earth 
Smote sudden in on her long revery. 
Lifted her head, till now bowed on her breast. 
And gazed upon him doubting. But her eyes. 
Though yet by their first sight of passion 

dazed, 
Vouched for her ears, and deep in their sad 

depths 
There dawned a great surprise. Her heart, 

but now 
Stilled 'neath the hand of fate, began to throb, 
And heaving her white bosom with its beats, 
Sent straight the gathered blood which slum- 
bered there 
Through all her frame. With its delicious 
rush 



lO PROSERPINE 

Her cheeks, grown pale beneath the cypress 

boughs, 
Warmed, reddened slowly, as the blushing 

east 
Conscious of day, and her curved lips forgot 
Their fatal taste of his pomegranate in 
The dazzling smile of youth, as drawing 

breath, 
Long, deep, she woke once more to life and 

joy. 
The pale and nodding wreath of asphodel 
That crowned her dreamy brows, slipped to 

the ground 
As she arose. Her form, dilating, grew 
More tall, more fair than when by maidens 

ringed 
The god's eyes found her roaming light of 

heart 
In the Sicilian meadow 'mongst the flowers. 
An instant thus she towered in majesty, 
Then as he waved dismissal, swiftly turned 
And went without a word. On, on, she sped, 
And hell through all its regions trembling, 

reeled 
At the warm shock of life, and as she passed 
Regardless on her way, nor turned her head 
To look farewell, the shades with envy grew 



PROSERPINE 



More wan, remembering dimly joy and pain, 
They longed for the old madness of dear life 
They never should feel more. The Furies 

shrank 
As she brushed by, and sullen slunk away ; 
The Fates alone spun calmly nor looked up 
To see her pass, but wove their human web 
Serene, unmoved by gods, or shades, or men. 
Before her now the gates of Tartarus 
Swung grudging wide, while every churlish 

bolt 
Shrieked out upon her, but she passed up, up, 
Inhaling through glad nostrils the fresh smell 
Of genial earth, whose lap with new growth 

teemed ; 
For all the spring yearned in her blood till she 
Brake through the earth with flowers, em- 
braced and fell 
At golden Ceres* feet, and with quick touch 
Her winter mourning changed to summer joy. 



PROSERPINE 



PROSERPINE 

(the return) 



'T*HE footfall, through the shortening autumn 

days, 
The footfall, through the lengthening autumn 

nights. 
Of one approaching Hades laggingly, 
A slow, reluctant footfall. The stern god 
Smiled on his lonely pillow at the sound, 
Or sitting on his throne, t'would lift a space 
The cloud of melancholy from his brow. 
Its native seat as, hearkening, o'er his face 
There stole an eager, an impassioned look. 
And ever nearer, louder grew the sound, 
While wondering hell in silence hel4 her 

breath 
To listen, and time measured rhythmicly 
The earthly days and nights, until at length 
The footsteps ceased. There fell a pause as 

though 
Without the doors one waited. Then the King 
Rose slowly, and with pace deliberate 
Passed through his realm untjl he reached its 

gates, 



PROSERPINE 13 



And asked : "Who stands without?" There 

came a voice 
As sweet and hollow as the autumn wind 
That brings a sound of rain: " I wait without, 
Thy most unhappy wife." " Fling wide the 

gates," 
The King commanded, and they sliding back, 
As in a frame the goddess stood revealed 
Against the darkness of the wintering world. 
She seemed like sorrow's self; about her clung 
A grey mist like a veil, her hair unbound, 
Damp with her mother's weeping, coiled its 

length 
O'er her wide shoulders, and her trailing robes 
The sweet, dead smell of leaf-mould did ex- 
hale, 
With fading flowers decked. She to her heart 
Pressed close a spray of withering autumn 

leaves 
By their own life blood dyed. In her large 

eyes, 
Drenched by the tempest of her tears as earth 
By heavy rains, fear with her passion fought, 
Fear of herself or him. Awhile the King 
Upon her keenly looked, then soft he said : 
" What wilt thou ? " and she twice essayed to 

speakj 



14 PROSERPINE 



But could not for the sobs which broke her 

voice, 
Until at last : "Oh cruel one," she wept, 
" Thou hast deceived me. Thou did'st bid me 

taste 
The apple of thy love, me ignorant. 
And its sweet poison crept insidious 
Into my guileless heart, and turned to pain 
My joy in mine old life ; in any life 
Apart from thee ; now needs must I return 
To thee against my will, as well thou know'st. 
And I must live thy life, though hateful to me. 
My love can never, as with happier wives, 
Flow in one current with my thoughts, my 

hopes; 
No, never-dying conflict must be mine. 
Love wrestling with my will, my happiness 
With neither found. Why did'st thou do this 

wrong 
Against me ? Yet, my husband, I am weak ; 
Alas ! the goddess slips away from me 
And leaves me woman, Lo ! I pardon thee, 
My wrong sprung of thy love, my love forgives 
In my despite." She ceased. The silent King 
Drew near, embraced her, bent and kissed her 

brow. 
And raised her to his side for evermore. 



WIND 15 



WIND 

H tell me, hast thou seen the wind ? 
I met him down by the river ; 
A ruddy boy with an eager face, 
His cloak blown out with impetuous grace, 
The rushes between, with a mischievous 

mien 
He stole and puffed them a-shiver. 
At dawn by the river. 



O 



tell me, dost thou know the wind ? 

1 saw him stretched in the forest ; 

A languid youth with impassioned eyes. 
His breast a-heaving with amorous sighs, 
He played there and sang till the pine 

branches rang. 
He sang and stirred e'en their hoarest, 
At noon in the forest. 

tell me, hast thou met the wind ? 

1 passed him up on the hillside; 

A powerful man with a brooding brow, 
Behind him gathering storm muttered low. 



l6 WIND 



With fear at the sight, there the young 

leaves turned white, 
The grass drank eagerly, sun-dried, 
At eve on the hillside. 

tell me, hast thou heard the wind ? 

1 heard him, darkness was falling ; 
An aged man in the driving snow, 

His voice now rising, now loud, and now 

low, 
In minor, sad note from his white-bearded 

throat. 
What grieved the aged wind calling, 
When darkness was falling ? 



GENIUS verstis TALENT 1 7 



GENIUS versus TALENT 



GENIUS : 

" (^H Talent ! facile one! who leap'st from 

rock 
To rock, and agile climb'st this mount of art, 
While far below thee sudden thunders shock 
The air, as gaping crowds applaud the part 
Thou play'st, I all but envy thee thy hand ; 
So perfectly it works thy brain's command." 



"My Genius, where thou'rt wrestling in the 

gloom 
I see thee, for thy brow shoots like a star 
Long rays of light ; thine upturned face doth 

loom 
Large, god-like through the mist, and thine 

eyes are 
Dilated with wide vision, but too grand 
To be forth-bodied by a mortal hand." 



1 8 THE LOST STAR 



THE LOST STAR 

TTEAV'N hath lost a star : 

Does he care 
That it slipped ? There are 

More to spare. 
No ; heaven does not miss to-night 
One gem in all his crown of light. 



Moon hath lost a star ; 

Does she mourn ? 
Searching near and far, 

Quite forlorn ? 
Ah no ; she smiles in loveliness, 
The little light she did not miss. 



I have lost a star: 

Shall I grieve? 
Let one loss debar? 

To one cleave ? 
Ah me ! one only star had I 
To light the gloom of my dark sky. 



LOST 19 



LOST 



"V/IY love escaped me; down the wind 
She fled with mocking laughter. 
Cupid and I were left behind, 
And as the little god is blind, 
We could not follow after, 
But we sent many an angry shaft 
In vain to wound her, still she laughed. 

I hear her murmur in the brooks, 

And in the pines her sighing, 
The red rose keeps her blushing looks, 
With her white neck in April nooks 

Anemones are vying ; 
Soft clouds at mid-day shape her face. 
And every willow wears her grace. 

I see her thin veil on the wood 

In sultry noontides quiver. 
And at a sunset I have stood 
To watch her mantle red as blood 

Drop on the quiet river ; 
Her fire-fly gems at night in June 
Flash out beneath the rising moon. 



LOST 

And is it nature that I love 

Or is it her fair creature ? 
I do not know ; I ever rove 
O'er hill and meadow, field and grove, 

My passion I would teach her. 
When I have found my love, I'll ask 
If she or nature wore the mask. 



ESCAPE 21 



ESCAPE 



T CAUGHT the floating veil of Night 

As she passed down the sky ; 
I moaned : " Oh, hide me from all sight, 

And bid me with thee fly, 
My wounded heart weeps bitter tears, 
And dares not face the day it fears." 



We sank below the western rim, 
As up the glad earth rolled ; 

While round us gathered shadows dim, 
The east laughed through her gold ; 

On, darkly hastening with the Night 

I fled before the dawning light. 



Long sweeps of meadow-grass bent low 

Beneath our hastening feet, 
And as we passed, the river's flow. 

Loud, soft, with rhythmic beat 
Sang in our ears, and half in swoon 
The trees stretched upward toward the moon. 



22 ESCAPE 

And soon we reached the mighty deep, 
Which wrapped in snowy gleams, 

Tossed like a strong man in his sleep. 
And murmured in his dreams ; 

We felt his breath, the salt sea-spray, 

As we passed, flying from the day. 



Old lands which I in youth had known, 
Dropped, fading, far behind ; 

New lands with many an ancient throne 
Rose swiftly, as the wind 

Now loud, now low, wailed human grief 

In anguish that found no relief. 



And now the air breathed fragrant balm. 
Which from all care released, 

And tall arose the mystic palm. 
The spirit of the east ; 

When lo ! a temple darkly drawn 

Stood out against another dawn. 

Night spoke ; as when the wind at eve 
Moves whisp'ring through the sedge ; 

It trembles, little ripples wreathe 
The quiet water's edge ; 



ESCAPE 23 

So fell Night's voice upon my heart 
And somewhat eased its pain and smart : 

** The round earth turns toward the sun, 

And none from him may hide, 
But one can save thee ; there is one 

Stands ever at my side. 
Behold him ! " and she caught her breath ; 
Then turning quickly I saw Death. 



24 A CLOUDY MORNING 



A CLOUDY MORNING 



CINCE break of day the thrushes sing ; 

I hear 
Their notes far through the May woods ring, 

And near 
From liquid throat the cadence falls, 
While in the pause Love loudly calls : 
** Admit me, heart, whom sleep enthrals, 

Nor fear." 



The morning clouds with rustling show'r, 

Yet still 
The thrushes set each leafy bow'r 

A-thrill. 
So through the long and weary day 
My heart sings on in love's own May, 
Shut in by care, yet joys alway 

It fill. 



WHICH? 25 



WHICH ? 



T MET within the budding wood 

The youthful Spring. Their blossom- 
blood 
Did maples shed ? 
Or earth turn red 
Beneath his feet ? 
I only know 
The March winds blow, 
The rivers flow ; 
To be alive is sweet. 



His dreamy eyes were blue and wet 
As any April violet ; 

And were they glad 

Or were they sad ? 
I muse in vain, 

I only know, 

With windy throe 

The branches grow, 
And life is joy and pain. 



26 WHICH? 



Now frowned, now smiled his changing 

face, 
As when the sun the clouds doth chase. 

There in the grove 

Did I meet Love ? 
I know not this. 

My heart beat so, 

I only know 

The breeze sighed low, 
And that I felt his kiss. 



CASSANDRA 27 



CASSANDRA 



^' T AM Cassandra of the stricken eyes, 

Eyes blasted into sight, whose shrink- 
ing gaze 
Must needs behold the future, though I pray 
For dimness, blindness, Phoebus ! angry god ! 
Behold, my punishment far in the scales 
Outweighs my light deceit. Relent, forgive ! 
My own joy, springing from the present, ever 
Is withered by the breath of that cold wind. 
My own fore-knowledge. Yet this could I 

bear. 
Would joy for others spring up in its place : 
It cannot be, for when I, whirled along 
Upon the foaming flood of prophecy. 
Feel words of truth break from me, lo ! their 

point. 
By laughter turned, hard unbelief, aye, scorn. 
Rebounds upon me, piercing my sad breast 
With hatred from all hearts. My torment 'tis 
To see men blindly blunder, rushing on 
Through wrong and sorrow down the steep of 

death 



28 CASSANDRA 



Against my words of warning, which would 

help, 
Would save. Great Phoebus ! take thy gift 

again ! 
Re-plunge me in the happy human dark, 
Or send me down to Hades, where, no more, 
Souls look upon earth's misery ; where all 
Have lived their life ; no future any more ; 
All blessed past. Yea, Phoebus, let me die ! 
For still they suffer and they will not heed !" 



DISCOVERED 29 



DISCOVERED 



CWEET soul, hedged in with thine own 

homeliness, 
Spite churlish nature, I have found thee out. 
For as some mighty princess of old time. 
Distressed and beautiful, and captive held 
In her strong tower, would mount her turret- 
stairs 
To look forth from her lattice, if perchance 
She might discern upon the winding road 
Some bold knight champion ; so, oft thy soul. 
By feeling kindled, roused by some great 

thought, 
Hath looked forth from thine eyes. Or 

rather say 
That prudent nature, as in the dull rock 
She hides the flashing gem ; the rosy flower 
Shuts in the poor brown seed, and precious 

things 
Doth everywhere in common things enwrap, 
Lest the light hands of foolish wayfarers 
Should grasp, and handling, cheapen ; so, 
great soul. 



30 DISCOVERED 

Thou art encircled with a ring of fire, 
Briinnhilde-like, that but the strongest love, 
The truest, breaking through the flick'ring 

flames 
Of circumstance, may clasp thy very self, 
And bear thee hence, defiant of the world. 



AN AUTUMN SHOWER 3I 



AN AUTUMN SHOWER 



'T^HE blue mist is lifting 

From dark woods again ; 
O'erhead clouds are drifting, 
'Tis over, the rain. 



And bare trees still dripping 
With sorrowful tears, 

Mourn autumn, off-slipping, 
As winter appears. 



But lo ! a cloud breaketh, 
I see the glad blue, 

And ecstasy waketh 
Within my heart too. 



Again Nature calls me. 
Through air become mild 

" What ills may befall thee, 
Rejoice now, my child." 



32 AN AUTUMN SHOWER 

Enchantress so mighty, 
Capricious yet sweet, 

In grief, in joy's flight, we 
Are bound to thy feet. 



Thou weep'st and we weep too, 
We scarce can tell why ; 

Thou smil'st, and we smile through 
Our tears not yet dry. 



Then answer, oh Nature ! 

Are we wholly thine ? 
Thou'rt silent ; thy creature 

Has something divine ? 



THE SOWER 33 



For they have sown the wind and they shall reap the whirl- 
wind." — Hosea viii : 7. 



THE SOWER 



'npHE furrows fret the field of life 

With glittering lines that o'er it run. 
Sweet smells have birth from upturned earth 

Beneath the newly-risen sun. 
The lusty sower, in youth's pride 
Comes forth, his grain-bag at his side. 



The joyous morning stirs his veins 

With heart-beats of the coming spring. 

He soweth seeds, he stroweth deeds 
Amid the songs and blossoming. 

But hark ! the mocking laugh behind, 

He sows the light, the barren wind. 



34 THE REAPER 



THE REAPER 



N clouds the shamed sun seeks his rest. 

The eve is sultry, brooding, still. 
Oh reaper old, once young and bold, 

The thunder mutters o'er yon hill. 
Thrust in and reap the standing grain ; 
Lo ! whirlwind bursts upon the plain. 



NIGHT AND DEATH 35 



NIGHT AND DEATH 



/^H strange and silent bridge of Night ! 
From day to day you span, 
And o'er your arches, hid from sight, 

Sweeps on the life of man. 
We lightly leave the busy day, 

Whose shore grows dim, behind ; 
We pass into your rest and stay 
The labors of the mind. 



And yet our being's mystic law 

Still darkly sweeps us on ; 
We reach the further, unknown shore, 

Another day is won. 
We careless tread the untried land 

With future-darkened sight ; 
Yet comes the hour, no day will stand 

To meet the bridge of Night. 



36 CHAINS 



CHAINS 



'T^HE wind springs lightly from the sea, 
Where fall'n asleep, 
Rocked by the deep. 
All night he hath lain quietly. 



Arises maiden-fresh the morn 
To meet him. All 
The birds gin call, 

And the young day is born. 



Free wind, free dawning, and free day! 

My soul, behind 

Strong bars confined. 
Frets to be free as they. 



THE CZAR S CALL 37 



THE CZAR'S CALL 



VI7HAT voice sighs through the autumn 
woods 
Where leaves fall fast, 
And murmurs in the rolling floods, 

And whispers past 
The yellow glade, fields fading, bare? 
One name re-echoes everywhere. 



Peace stands upon the earth today : 

" My name I heard ; 
"Who called ? Ye Christian people, say ! 

"What, dumb? No word?" 
Then sullen War in thunder spoke, 
And welcomed her in cannon smoke. 

Then o'er the face of Peace there crept, 

(So bright erewhile) 
A shade of prophecy and swept 

Away her smile, 
While back she gazed through pitying tears 
Along man's slow, barbaric years. 



38 THE czar's call. 

She asked : " Ye will not have me then ? 

My rule you spurn ? 
Slip back a thousand years, Oh men ! 

Ere I return. 
My Christ, like Thine my bitter lot ; 
Behold ! Thy Christians know me not." 



HALF-TALENT 



39 



HALF-TALENT 

HALB-HEXE : (uNTEN) 



Ich tripple nach, so lange Zeit ; 
Wie sind die andern schon so weit ! 
Ich hab'zu Hause keine Ruh, 
Und komme hier doch nicht dazu." 

(Walpurgisnacht, Faust, L) 



HALF-TALENT 

" TV/T^ lamp burns low, the night is cold, 
My way is rough, and I grow old. 
Ambition, cease thy stinging goad 
And let me sleep beside the road. 



" In vain I shield my flickering light 
From every wandering gust of night, 
Lest some wild wind breathe out my spark. 
And leave me groping in the dark. 



" To-night a youth with winged feet 
Passed me, a runner strong and fleet, 
His face was set against the wind, 
Nor turned for shouting from behind. 



40 HALF-TALENT 



His mouth was firm, his eyes intent, 
Were on far distant vision bent. 
And high he held a torch, that back 
Streamed smoky splendors on his track. 



While the red lightning o'er it played, 
And fed it, on the breeze it preyed. 
He came and went : again I stood 
Alone within the dusky wood. 



" I too have visions, but they come 
Like rush of words to lips sealed dumb. 
Oh cruel favor ! better far 
Be born blind as my fellows are. 



"Nor day nor night do I find rest, 
Forced still pursue a hopeless quest; 
For common life I am not meet. 
Too slow for genius' flying feet." 



MARPESSA TO APOLLO 41 



*MARPESSA TO APOLLO 



^^V/fY sun-god and my lover, let me speak : 
I'd ease my heart here in the laurel- 
grove, 
Where we stand face to face, before I part 
My hand from thine forever. But thine eyes, 
Those eyes which slew with terrible regard 
The python, ere thine arrow pierced him, turn 
Away from me, they burn me like the sun, 
Bewildering and dazzling my weak sight. 
Which fain would look truth boldly in the face. 
Behold thy temple ; white it fronts the grove 
Beneath the blazing noon ; no vine-leaf stirs 
That clasps a column, all things sleep and 

dream ; 
And e'en the statues of the blessed gods 
Drowse on their pedestals ; no sound except 
The errant bee who takes his humming way 
Across the holy place : or droop thy lids, 
Calm with the proud weight of divinity, 
So veil thy flaming gaze and I will speak. 



* On reading an extract from Mr. Stephen Phillips' fine poem, 
" Marpessa," the other or non-human side of the subject was 
suggested to me, and I have attempted to treat it from this side, 
retaining his title. 



42 MARPESSA TO APOLLO 

I love thee ; dost thou know it ? nay, no word ; 
I knew it from the eve when on yon hill 
I stood, the vineyards climbing to my feet, 
The purple sea below me, and around 
The twilight of the hills, above my head 
Our warm Greek sky where solitary pined 
Each star in space. There, as I watched 

them, one, 
Pierced through and through with ecstacy of 

love. 
Sprang quivering from his place, and clove his 

way 
Down through the night, setting the heaven 

aglow. 
Until th' amazed and gaping dark regained 
Her wits and swallowed up his track of fire. 
But softly as the dew falls on the grass. 
Thou did'st alight beside me, radiant. 
My star, my sun, dropped from the generous 

heaven, 
Left black forever. Henceforth all men 

seemed 
To stand on one dull plane of commonplace, 
None topping o'er his fellow, and I thought, 
I, blinded by the flash of thy white light, 
*Twere better far to perish in the rays 
Of that fierce splendor, as the lightning burns 



MARPESSA. TO APOLLO 43 

What it embraces, than to wed with man 
And live our woman's life. My heart I bare 
Thus to thy sight ; 'tis faithful, but I feel 
That sorrow struggles ever there with love. 
No fault of thine, ah no ! for thou dost stand 
Perfect as hero of a maiden's dream, 
Not to be found 'mongst men, and thou wilt 

stand 
Forever so, nor can the strokes of time 
With imperfection mar thee, killing love, 
As with us humans. Fortunate am I, 
Possessing thus what every mortal seeks 
In vain to realize, till his aging life 
Proves hope a disappointment. But my love, 
No one, not Zeus himself, can snatch from me. 
I know my dream is truth ; yet, yet, alas ! 
I am a mortal and a woman too. 
And we fade fast. As fast and silently. 
As one by one an o'er-bloomed rose doth drop 
Her petals to the ground, so one by one 
Our beauties fall away, we wither, soon, 
Though springing from the genial lap of life 
Exhaustless, other flowers fill our place, 
We are no more. I see the sadness steal 
Across thy face, thou knowest I speak truth. 
And none may conquer fate, no, not the gods. 
So I shall see thy love to pity wane : 



44 MARPESSA TO APOLLO 

(Nay, nay, protest not, thus I close the lips, 
Which sweet but rash would fain forswear 

themselves), 
And thou wilt hold me as a thing apart 
From thine unending youth. Thou wilt be 

kind, 
As we are to the old, and when my life 
Hath sunk at last to the sad underworld, 
If that be life to grope amid dim shades, 
Thou wilt forget me. Hush ! these lips will 

press 
The lips of other maidens, now unborn, 
Who then will smile as fresh as dewy flowers, 
New-opening to the sun. Ah ! thy vexed blood 
In hot denial flames up in thy face. 
Because I love thee, I will say no more. 
No more I'll listen to the warning voice 
Of sad foreboding, heard within my heart 
Loud in the temple silence. Love, as I 
Stepped into cheerful day and saw thee wait, 
Leaning against the aged olive tree 
Thy manhood's strength, which what it leaned 

on, propped. 
Thy yellow locks tossed back from thy bold 

brow, 
Thine ardent eyes, thy tender mouth, ah I 

then, 



MARPESSA TO APOLLO 45 

When through its gnarled stems all the sacred 

grove 
Glimmered and shone with thy white grace 

and pride ; 
Thy love, victorious, slew my grief and fear. 
Here, 'neath the sunny sky of cloudless blue, 
Which warmly, as our own youth, shuts us in, 
I see not, care not for what lies beyond, 
Lost in thy smile to all the world beside. 
Let us be happy ! Be a god no more : 
I'm mortal and a woman, be all man. 
In the best time of both, when we may live 
A life's joy in an hour. Ah love ! that kiss 
Makes me immortal. By its touch I dare 
To live forever ; yet, yet, on thy brow. 
Within thine eyes, despite their joy, I meet 
The old, calm look of one who knows not 

grief. 
For whom death is not, and behind the man. 
The god again doth smite me with despair ; 
I know that I am mortal, I must die." 



46 CONTRADICTION 



CONTRADICTION 

T WOKE upon a snowy morn 
When all the land was white. 
Stretched in the east an angry dawn 
Lay dying ; yet to me seemed born 
The world in new spring light. 

There was no sound to break the hush, 

So softly fell the snow; 
But yet I heard from every bush 
The voice of robin and of thrush, 

And countless twitterings low. 

The air was sharp, yet balmy breathed 

To me, and sweet with flowers. 
And every naked tree snow-wreathed. 
Seemed fluttering in green new-leaved, 
And gay as summer bowers. 

Thus all those hours I walked in May, 

Though all the world was snow. 
Love, had I known it was thy sway 
Which brought spring to my heart that day, 
I had not let thee go. 



WAITING 47 



WAITING 

T TPON the threshold of the dusky world 

The joyous morning slipped and fell. 
Alas ! 
High in her arms she bore a gift for me, 
Precious indeed! which rolling off was lost. 
Alone I watched and waited for that morn. 
By me the young wind hastened, humming low 
For joy, he passed forth o'er the dim-lit earth, 
Bringing new life and vigor after sleep; 
And in his track there followed whisperings soft 
Of trees and twitterings of awakened birds. 
And still I watched and waited for the morn 
Until her favored star turned pale and sank, 
And hope sank with it; still I waited on, 
And wondered why she tarried. 



48 GENTIAN 



GENTIAN 

CO all day long I followed through the fields 

The voice of Autumn, calling from afar ; 

And now I thought: "Yon hazel thicket yields 

A glimpse of her," and now: "These asters 

are 

Sure sign that she of late has passed this way; 

Lo; here -the traces of her yellow car/* 

And once I looked and seemed to see her stand 
Beneath a golden maple's black -drawn 
boughs. 
But when I reached the place, naught but a 
band 
Of crickets did perform their tuneful vows 
To the soon fading grass, and through the 
leaves 
The quiet sunlight falling, blessed my brows. 

Till, as the long rays lengthened from the west, 
I came upon an altar of grey stone. 

O'er which a creeper flung with pious zest 
Her flickering flames. About that altar lone, 

The crowding sumac burned with steady fire; 
Before it stately, stood a priestess ; one. 



GENTIAN 49 



Who turned to me her melancholy eyes, 
I saw her beauty, ripe with color's breath, 

Yet veiled, as when on wood and hill there lies 
A mist, a shadow, as of coming death. 

And while I gazed she faded; swift I clutched 
Her fringed cloak, which rent, my grasp 
beneath, 

And she was gone. As fluttered to the ground 
Its many fragments, I with sudden fears, 

Stooped, vainly seeking them, when all around 
The blue fringed gentian smiled up through 
my tears. 

As one who knows his welcome will be warm, 

Although sad news to his beloved he bears. 



50 INCONSTANCY 



INCONSTANCY 

\/f ETHOUGHT I loved the kingly sun, 
Though but a poor, dull star was I 
With others, dancing one by one 
Before the monarch of the sky. 
Who scorned and left me night-undone. 

Methought I loved the roving wind. 
Who drove adown his skyey track. 

And left me weeping : far behind 

He flung his boisterous laughter back, 
Instead of breezy murmurs kind. 

Methought I loved the changing sea, 
Who softly kissed the faithful shore, 

And told his love too tenderly, 

When hark ! she listening, heard the roar, 

And lo ! the storm broke fearfully. 

Alas ! I loved a royal heart 

As fickle as the wind and wave. 

I, cheated by love's cruel art, 

My true one in exchange, who gave, 

Now would, yet cannot from this part. 



LOVE S BIRTH 5 1 



y 



LOVE'S BIRTH 

npHY breast with sighs 
Doth fall and rise, 
Thine eyelids rain warm showers, 
The kiss of thy mouth 
Is the kiss of the South, 
As it breathes o'er opening flowers. 

Like sun-lit plain 

Through falling rain, 
Thou smilest. Glad surprise ! 

As day is born, 

I see love dawn 
In the heaven of thine eyes. 



52 LOVE S DEATH 



LOVE'S DEATH 

T^O not speak. 

Bend thy head. 
Down thy cheek, 

Round and red, 
Tears should fall 
On his pall ; 
Love is dead. 

Here he lies 

'Twixt us twain. 
Ne'er his eyes 

Ope again. 
By a word 
Barely heard, 

He was slain. 

Heart is still ; 

All is o'er. 
Laugh thy fill 

As before : 
Bitter truth ; 
Tender youth, 

Thou'rt no more. 



SPRING 53 



SPRING 

■pEVER bewitching 

Burns in my blood, 
My sense enriching ; 
Languid my mood. 

Gladness holds riot, 
Swelling my breast. 

Such sweet disquiet ! 
Such vague unrest ! 

Roving desires 
Of the first man, 

Instinct's old fires 
These breezes fan. 

Voices of water 
Fill all the land : 

Ye, who have sought her, 
Spring is at hand. 

Lightly she passes, 
Her foot hath been 

Where yonder grass is 
Warmed into green. 



54 SPRING 



Blossoms unfolding, 

Sap is astir; 
Sun warmly holding 

Earth, kisses her. 

Sweet odors bringing, 
Comes the breeze soft, 

Sudden bird-singing 
Rings from yon croft. 

Sweetly that measure 

Thrills through each vein, 
Is it a pleasure? 

Is it a pain ? 

Wakens the feeling 

Of a past bliss ? 
Is it joy stealing 

O'er me for this ? 

Mother, my pulses 
Beat with thine, one; 

Life that exults, is 
In me, thine own. 



SONG 55 



SONG 



'TpO-NIGHT, love, there will be 
A wedding by the sea ; 
Will you go ? 
When the golden moon, grown round. 
Rolls up from underground 
Soft and slow. 



When in rides the eager tide 
To enfold the shore, his bride, 

To his breast. 
On his broad back folk he'll bring, 
And many a strange sea-thing 

On his crest. 



For a merman bold to-night 
Weds a mortal maiden, bright 

As the morn. 
And upon the ribbed sand 
Land and sea-folk, hand in hand, 

Dance till dawn. 



56 SONG 



Hark ! the sound of wedding bells ; 
'Tis the Tritons blowing shells, 

Loud their mirth. 
We will dance till, enviously, 
Startled gods look down to see 

Joy of earth. 



The wedding, love, is o'er ; 
From the forsaken shore 

Ebbs the tide ; 
And he carries out to sea 
All the joyous revelry. 

Merry-eyed. 



Old Ocean's children fair, 

Mermaids lithe, with wave-tossed hair, 

Tritons bold. 
Love, what ails the bridegroom, see ; 
In the bride's white arm lies he, 

Faint and cold. 



SONG 57 



Are the waters calling him ? 
Sea-blue eyes grow dark and dim, 

Heart beats slow ; 
With the flood ebbs out his life, 
Though she weeps and prays, his wife. 

In her woe. 



At the turning of the tide. 
Love, the bridegroom drooped and 
died 

On her breast. 
For his life was bound, you know, 
With the waters' ebb and flow ; 

What, distressed ? 



Do not weep, nay, love, for she 
Was of earth, and he of sea ; 

It was well 
That they should not wed, those two, 
*' But," you whisper, "I and you ?" 

Who can tell ? 



58 THE NORTH 



THE NORTH 

TVyfY love is that maiden fair, 

The North, whom the snow once bare 
To the polar star, 
As they leaned from far 
With a love as thin as air. 

Her breast is a drift of snow, 
Which smothers her heart below, 

Lest a vagrant spark 

Set afire its dark, 
With a flame it must not know. 

Her eyes, neither blue nor green. 
Are the color that lies between, 

In the glacier's veins, 

On its wrinkled plains, 
Where the deep crevasse is seen. 

They chill with their cold replies 
Bold passion's burning eyes, 

For the midnight sun 

They dare look upon, 
As it hangs in the awe-struck skies. 



THE NORTH 59 



Like the torrent sounds her voice 
When it bids the rocks rejoice, 

And the pine trees bare, 

In her yellow hair, 
Stately plumes are of her choice. 



The evening sun's red rose. 
Which blooms on the highest snows, 
Is the tinge alone 
That her cheek doth own, 
Where the first blush rising froze. 



Through the lonely arctic nights 

She will dance to the Northern lights ; 

'Tis her music mute. 

As the columns shoot 
And leap to the zenith-heights. 



To quiver and fade and die, 
Sinking back to the edge of sky, 
While their souls take flight 
From the bows of light, 
Into others that spring on high. 



6o THE NORTH 



Oh sweetheart ! thou maiden North, 
Whom the mighty snow brought forth, 

I am half afraid, 

Though I love thee, maid, 
To plight such an icy troth. 



CINDERELLA (tHE TRANSFORMATION) 6l 



CINDERELLA 

(the transformation) 

npHE dying embers in the low-ceiled room, 
The moonbeams feebly struggling with 
the gloom, 
A girl amid the ashes crouched from sight. 
As when grey dusk is folded into night. 
The clock ticks loudly to the idle wheel, 
Rats in the crumbling wainscot fight and 

squeal ; 
Upon the latticed pane the branches bare 
Cast shadows, trembling in the frosty air, 
And by the attentive ear of silence heard, 
Falls many a heavy tear and broken word. 

W w W w ^ 

A sudden sense of magic in the room. 

As when a rose-bud is about to bloom, 

A pause like that before the butterfly 

Breaks from his woven tomb, new life to try. 

And ere the clock the sister-second told, 

A change — lo ! there she stands ; behold ! 

behold ! 
The moonbeams cold, a fiery passion learn, 



62 CINDERELLA (tHE TRANSFORMATION) 

Touching her hair and breast where jewels 

burn, 
Rich, silken rustlings fill the chamber bare, 
And strange, sweet perfumes feed the hungry 

air; 
At her own beauty half abashed she stands, 
A lily to be plucked by princely hands. 



CINDERELLA (tHE BALl) 63 

CINDERELLA 

(the ball) 

'T^HE palace is awake, its thousand eyes 

Flash out and dazzle the swart face of 
night : 
Within, sweet waves of music fall and rise, 

And float the dancers round in eddies light ; 
Yet lengthens o'er thy mirth as it grows late 
The warning shadow of thy fairy fate. 

But faster, faster fly the dancing feet. 

Young beauty, lo ; thou hast thy heart's 
desire, 
The princely eyes that seek thine own, grow 
sweet. 
And seeking, catch from thine a sudden fire. 
Yet hark ! the stroke of twelve ! fly down 

the stair, 
Back, slipperless, to thy dull life of care. 



64 GREETING 



GREETING 



npHE sun is riding towards the west, 
A princely cavalier. 
O sun, wilt bear upon thy crest 

A greeting to my dear ? 
The evening wind sighs close behind. 

In pleading with the grove ; 
His murmur sweet I'll catch, and fleet 
I'll send it to my love. 



The moon sails upward from the east, 

Steered by a faithful star. 
A queen, an empress she at least, 

Within her silver car. 
Oh Queen above, from my heart's love 

Dost bring no word, no sigh ? 
Soft, whisper low, and none will know ; 

Thou shalt not pass me by. 



GOETHE AND THE MODERN FREDERIKE 65 



GOETHE AND THE MODERN 
FREDERIKE 



"We live, and they experiment on life — 
Those poets, painters, all who stand aloof 
To overlook the farther. Let us be 
The thing they look at ! * * * 

***** You are mine, 
Made for me, not for others in the world, 
Nor yet for that which I should call my art, 
The cold, calm power to see how fair you look. 
I come to you ; I leave you not, to write 
Or paint. You are, I am : let Rubens there 
Paint us ! " (" In a Baicony^—BROwmaG.) 

Goethe : 
^^ "you do not mean it, love ; unsay the 

word 
Which smote but now upon the startled air, 
Wounding mine ears : we must not, cannot 

part. 
Our souls torn each from other, could not live 
To wander through life's hall, alone, forlorn. 
Together we dare stand and breast the world, 
Man, woman, hand in hand. Speak, have I 

not 
Poured all my best, my noblest at your feet ? 
What cause ? " 

FREDERIKE : 

" Most true, my poet — " 



66 



GOETHE AND THE MODERN FREDERIKE 



Goethe : 

'' Bid it down, 
The phantom you have conjured up between 

us. 
Hereafter it shall only walk to vex 
Mismated lovers, or the wedded pair, 
Whose faith shines dully as their marriage- 
ring. 
Come, let me plead my cause ! " 

Frederike : 

*' Before a judge 
Who should be stricken deaf and blind at 

once, 
And robbed of every gem which memory 
Of you, guards jealous in her treasure-house; 
Else can he be impartial ? As you speak. 
Your brow pleads for you, where Olympian 

calm 
Forever thrones, your eyes are windows 

whence 
The archer. Love, a thousand arrows shoots. 
Your mouth — and ah ! your voice, the mellow 

voice, 
Which flatters each poor word you deign to 

speak, 
Till they, grown proud, above their humble 

rank 



GOETHE AND THE MODERN FREDERIKE 67 

Aspire to music. Yet I'll hear you plead. 

My prisoner at the bar, you stand accused 

Of double-dealing, theft, not fair exchange. 

You took a heart, a woman's faithful heart. 

And in return you gave, what seemed your 

own. 

Light weight, deceitful measure. What say 

you?" 

Goethe : 

" Fair judge, and dear accuser, both in one, 

Fairer than ever in your latest whim, 

Mine eyes affirm it ; strange though it may 

seem, 

This play at pretty spite. Were every judge 

As fair, I'd gaily court them. Plaintiff mine, 

My dearest, — let — " 

Frederike : 

'* Come to the matter, sir. 

Or we must fine you for contempt of court." 

Goethe : 
" I plead not guilty ; to the uttermost 
Deny the charge, but give me leave awhile, 
And I'll recite our passion's chronicle. 
Our lovers' credo, and in every pause 
Your fervent heart, a pious worshipper. 
Shall say : 'Amen.' Have you forgot, my girl, 
I never can, our first sweet look of love 



6S 



GOETHE AND THE MODERN FREDERIKE 



When spite of others round us, our eyes met 
In one long, kindling glance. To me, your 

soul 
Seemed trembling, opening, as the cereus 
Discloses to the wooing of the night 
Her wondrous heart, and then for many a day 
I could escape you nowhere on this earth, 
For nature mirrored you on every side. 
Bound hand and foot by your sweet witchery, 
I doubted, feared and struggled, till the hour 
When both our souls, together clashing like 
Two silver cymbals, with one perfect sound 
Set the whole world a-dancing. Then my 

muse 
Fled jealous back to cold Parnassus' heights. 
While you slipped in her place, inspired me, 
And mightier far than she, kindled the fire 
That flames in song. I felt my talent grow. 
And stretch and strain my faculties until 
It snapped the bands of immaturity. 
And sprang full-grown 'mongst men. I chal- 
lenged heaven. 
Crying : ' What is the task I dare not do ?' 
Then (I but echo what the world has said. 
And you yourself do know), your loveliness 
I caught in verse immortal, which shall keep 
Your youth, your charm, your fire, when 
greedy age 



GOETHE AND THE MODERN FREDERIKE 69 

Has stoFn them from you ; aye, when death 

himself 
Has snatched us from the world. Your beauty 

then 
Forever floating down the stream of time 
Within my verse, and half enamouring 
All men who read of you, shall come at last 
To far lands and strange people. Young and 

fair 
Forever ! 'Tis a gift a god might smile 
Upon his gentle, kneeling worshipper : 
A triumph for a woman ! Here's your throne, 
An<i with my whole heart thus I've worshipped 

you." 

Frederike : 

"Alas ! each word you speak in your defence 
Does but convict you, e'en against my will. 
Upon the burning altar of your love, 
Unto your genius I've been sacrificed. 
Your genius is your god. I blame you not, 
Perhaps you're right, for genius has its dues ; 
But I would tell you, what my woman's heart 
Assures me, that you are not all my own. 
For often I have seen your large, calm eyes 
Rest on me, probing me too curiously, 
I've felt a chilly rapture in your smile ; 



70 GOETHE AND THE MODERN FREDERIKE 

Our quarrels and the tears shed 'twixt us two, 
Endeared by the sweet sense of privacy, 
You've drawn and colored with a master-hand 
In glowing hues of life, that boldly stare 
And mock me from the canvas. My fond 

fears. 
My ecstasies, akin to sadness oft, 
Framed in a tinkling rhyme delight men's 

ears ; 
And those great hours when passion swayed 

us both, 
When my whole being rushed to meet your 

love 
As rivers toward the sea, your hand rang up 
The curtain on our life and bared its stage 
To the enraptured world. I felt, knew then, 
You gave not all ; that part, your nobler 

part 
Stood then aloof, looked on with artist eyes, 
And noted on the tablets of the mind 
This, that, concerning us, our looks, our 

words. 
What moved them, analyzed the motive 

power, 
Yet felt it too, ah yes ! I grant you that. 
Full warmly, passionately, yet could save 
For future use. Can you deny this ?" 



goethe and the modern frederike 7 i 

Goethe : 

" No. 
Shall I deny mine instinct ? Child, that were 
To sin against my nature : where that points 
I follow ever. Wherefore wrangle we ? 
You wrong the artist. In the common scale 
You cast him, weighing him with other men. 
For us great Zeus, more just than you, doth 

hang 
A special balance out. But, sweet, why prick 
With far-fetched and fantastic doubts our 

love. 
With unreal scruples which may make it bleed 
In earnest ? But, if you will have it so, 
I will defend it : I will challenge you 
In this aerial combat. Quixote-like, 
I will ride down these windmills. Answer me : 
When thus you rail at my poor verse, my art. 
You rail but at yourself, my child ; are you 
Not all they are, and more ? Inspiring them. 
You hold within you all their excellence. 
I'm but your faithful mirror ; I reveal 
You to yourself, a true expositor 
Of beauties, virtues, which your modesty 
Veils from yourself. Else, dearest, you were 

like 
The fair, enchanted maid of ancient tales. 



72 GOETHE AND THE MODERN FREDERIKE 

Bound to a lover who, both blind and dumb, 
Affronts her beauty. Take me then instead. 
For wooer and interpreter at once. 
Who lives to sing your beauty to the world. 
And tell me th-en, is she not great 'bove all, 
The statue, moulded in the sevenfold heat 
Of the master-mind, flung forth, cooled down 

in stone. 
To stand for aye in frozen loveliness ? 
Behind her all past ages, each in turn 
Its tribute having laid at her arched feet ; 
The present crowded round her wondering. 
While she, too calm for pride looks far be- 
yond 
Expectant, down the path of coming time. 
Where, quickening, the dim ages yet unborn 
Haste to behold her. Doth she not excel 
The pale and swiftly passing worshipper 
Her coldness kindles, who must straight pro- 
claim 
To men ephemeral as he himself. 
Her wondrous beauty ? Rather pity him, 
That in his own despite he needs must share 
His love with all the world. He must forego 
The blessed secrecy, where other men 
May hide the beauty they adore, he must 
Invite the world to enter and admire. 



GOETHE AND THE MODERN FREDERIKE 73 

Since rash Prometheus stole the sacred spark, 
Man's genius is distasteful to the gods ; 
They bear a grudge and with a jealous eye 
Look to repay. It shakes them in their calm 
When genius walks the earth. Again they 

see 
The stable mountains move, and to and fro 
They hear the Titan in his torture turn, 
While the wide ocean's sympathetic breast 
Heaves with his groan. Then tremble all the 

gods 
On high Olympus seated, and deep gloom 
Blots out their mirth. Acceptable to them 
Is genius only, when against his will 
He stands their priest, and high 'twixt heaven 

and earth 
His golden censer swings in beauty's praise. 
The clouds of incense rise, the immortals 

bend, 
Sniffing the fragrance, genial grows their 

mood, 
And slowly, as a man sips precious wine, 
Delighting in its flavor, while its glow 
Spreads warmly through his frame , so well- 
pleased gods 
Taste mortal beauty, and smile, satisfied 
With the calm pleasure of eternity.'* 



74 GOETHE AND THE MODERN FREDERIKE 

FREDERIKE : 

" You would bewitch me with your sophistries; 
You have but touched my woman's vanity 
To the quick, so that it spurs my thought 

once more 
Against you. Passive you have figured me, 
Marble abstraction, while yourself have life, 
And will to use it. Friend, I would be loved 
As woman not alone, but for myself. 
Give me the man, ah, yes ! though he be 

dumb. 
Who, generous, gives the asking hour his all. 
Nor keeps back part o' the price. Alas ! my 

heart 
Doth whisper, 'tis not genius whom the gods 
Afflict, but rather her whom genius loves. 
Oh fatal gift ! his love ! both more and less 
Than other men's. That it is less, doth rivet 
His chain more closely to her. As we fling 
The lisping child beside us some poor toy 
To quiet him, when he would have us play, 
And put him off, although caressingly, 
Till he grows weary, fretted by the talk 
Half understood, which robs his toy of charm 
By glimpse of higher things, turns restive, 

tries 
Vainly to push into our converse grave, 



GOETHE AND THE MODERN FREDERIKE 75 

Yet cannot leave us for his toy again ; 

So has your greater self tossed me, a woman, 

The playthings of your nature. All the while 

You sat apart and angels entertained ; 

You, for your greater self, is that not you ? 

And by that self bound ever to your side, 

I've waited, hoping for a love should lift 

Me into comprehension of myself 

And you ; should strike me into harmony 

With your deep-sounding genius. That were 

heaven ; 
Denied me. But at least, I will be free ; 
I'll break my chain forever, though the heart 
It binds so fast, break with it. Fare-you-well." 



" This passes jest, Beloved — ' 

FREDERIKE : 



Fare-you-well. 



76 A PHANTASY 



A PHANTASY 



<' 'TpHY face is white ; Love's roses fail ; 
In either cheek grow lilies pale, 
Thine eyes are sad, 
That must look glad 
Tomorrow through thy wedding veil." 



Her mother smiled, the blood's warm rush 
Crimsoned the lilies with a blush ; 

The maiden sighed, 

The roses died. 
As when frost chills them on the bush. 



She spoke at first reluctantly, 

Her silvery speech flowed brokenly. 

As down the pane 

A drop of rain 
Comes sliding, stops, then runs awry. 



A PHANTASY 77 



" Mother, last night I went to rest 
With joy quick-beating in my breast, 

My pulses* leap, 

Though soothed by sleep, 
In dreams throbbed on at hope's behest. 



" I woke upon the turn of night, 

When life doth languish ; clear and bright 

The full moon shone, 

Though somewhat wan ; 
The western heaven was all alight. 



" Then in upon my mind 'twas borne, 
Our fisher-legend, how this morn 

Christ walks the wave 

Poor souls to save. 
As eighteen hundred years agone. 



" I dressed me by the moonbeams pale, 
I hurried, for so strange a wail 

Swept from the sea, 

A melody 
So sad, it made my spirits fail. 



78 A PHANTASY 



" I softly trod the creaking stair ; 
Deep-breathing quiet everywhere, 

I groped and found 

The latch, — no sound, 
I stepped into the summer air. 



" Beneath the moon, below the down, 
Slept peacefully our fishing town ; 

So white the beach, 

Its pebbles, each 
Was glistening like this wedding-gown. 



" But all the sea was making moan, 
Swelling its mighty organ-tone, 

Each wave in sleep 

Did softly weep, 
Then broke, as one awakes alone. 



" I saw the ocean chivalry 

In one long line stretch to the sky. 

And mute were they, 

As carved in clay. 
Waiting to see the Christ pass by. 



A PHANTASY 79 



** Sea-creatures ; plant to fish I saw 
Up-climbing, by some wondrous law, 

And through a range 

Of myriad change, 
Strong-armed half-natures, who upbore 



" Their King, a man, young, fair and strong, 
High seated o'er the silent throng. 

Broad shoulders bent, 

He forward leant. 
As one who gazes, waiting long. 



" So long, until the, first faint cry 
Of coming dawn arose. On high 

The listening moon 

Dropped in a swoon 
From heaven, as paled the eastern sky. 



" Oh mother dearest, my blood froze, 
Such wicked laughter then arose, 

I signed the cross ; 

How great their loss, 
Those elemental things, who knows ? 



8o A PHANTASY 



" They knew it not, their mirth rang out, 
Deep-chested mermen led the shout, 

It rose and fell 

Upon the swell ; 
Mermaids full-throated joined the rout. 



" A thousand water-voices hurled 
Their laughter at a Christian world, 

And merrily, 

Far out at sea, 
The widening wavelet dimpling curled. 



" The Sea-King turned, in his large eyes 
No laughter, but a child's surprise 

With sorrow deep 

Lay struggling — Keep 
Me, Heaven, from questionings that rise ! 



*' But when he mutely stretched his hand 
Out, seeking help, towards the land. 

The joyous day 

Sprang up ; straightway 
Sight, sound, had passed at his command. 



A PHANTASY 



Her mother spoke : " What thee befell 
Was strange. The heathen go to hell, 

And those who have 

Half souls to save, 
These with the unbaptized dwell. 



" But do not tell what thou hast heard, 
And to thy lover speak no word, 

Thy wedding-day 

For lost souls pray, 
And then forget what hath occurred." 



Wore on the dreamy afternoon, 

The sun slipped down the sky, and soon 

Such deep unrest 

Her heart oppressed, 
She sought the beach with fish-nets strewn. 



There lay upon the warmed sand 
An empty boat. In either hand 

She grasped an oar, 

Her young heart sore 
With pity, drove her from the land. 



82 A PHANTASY 



Dark gathered clouds, a sullen rack, 
Urged by the tempest at their back, 

The cruel wind 

Rode fast behind, 
Booted and spurred to slay and sack. 



The darkness deepened, burst the storm. 
Lights flashed and bells rang out alarm, 

Far out the bay 

White tossed the spray, 
" Heav'n grant she hath not come to harm!" 



An empty boat, o'erturned, uptossed ; 
A groan that broke : " Then she is lost !" 

For wedding bell 

A funeral knell, 
Life, youth, and love untimely crossed. 



Though mothers mourn, and bitterly 
Love grieve, his secret guards the sea. 

Thy fellow's loss 

Thy gain will cross, 
And life is all a mystery. 



SONNETS S^ 



SONI^ETS 



V/f Y heart and I one day fell out with tears. 
My heart like some fond woman pled 
in vain ; 
And now beat high with hope, now throbbed 
with fears, 
Denied love's hurt though suffering love's 
pain. 
I answered coldly as a man will do 

When his hot blood he chills with his own 
pride ; 
And now I swore that never love I knew, 
Now mocked, now threatening, my poor 
heart would chide. 
So all day long our conflict waxed and waned 

Until I conquered, and through reason set 
My proud foot on my heart ; when, battle- 
stained, 
Lo I, deserting reason straight : " Forget, 
** Forgive, I yield, dear heart," I softly said ; 
There came no answer for my heart was dead. 



84 SONNETS 



II 

THy worth and love a conflict in me breed : 

The first doth teach me as a precious book, 
Illumined by all virtues, where I read 

Until myself, myself can scarcely brook, 
And fain my head in humbleness I'd hide : 

Lo ! then full proudly to thy love I fly, 
As tear-brimmed clouds steal up the moun- 
tain side 
From valley deep, to kiss its summit high. 
Oh noble soul ! do thou, whose parts did wake 
This discord, by thy whole self bid it cease. 
If blind, thou dost not thy perfections take 
For me, who'd be thy mirror, then this 
peace 
Be mine ; some far-off goodness must in me 
Attract thy love, who draw'st all worth to 
thee. 

Ill 

Thy nature, like Ithuriel's shining spear 
Of temper true, compels by lightest touch 

All falsehood in its real form to appear, 
And this, great friend, disquieteth me much. 

Each meanness that within my nature lies, 
Which I would fain deny, dissimulate, 

Must it confront thy proud, thine earnest eyes ? 

Naked, deformed, thy patience supplicate ? 



SONNETS 85 



And yet a tenderness as large thou hast 

As the kind sun, who his warm glance doth 
fling 

Upon the goodly mead and sullen waste, 

His eyes beholding, beautify each thing. 
Would I more faulty than myself could prove ! 
To sound the depth, the power of thy love. 

IV 

Strong soul ! who dar*st thus rob me of mine 
own : 

Thou stol'st with cunning, judgment first 
from me, 
So that mine eyes no longer can make known 

If thy form comely or uncomely be. 
Thou hast mine ears, whatever thou may'st say. 

Or wise or foolish, and my self-command. 
Deserting me, to thee is fled away ; 

A child abashed, it leaves me in thy hand. 
My thoughts thou dost possess by day and 
night. 
Perforce I patience from my wrongs must 
learn ; 
Did I accuse thee, did I plead my right, 

Set free, my servants still to thee'd return ; 
Take then my heart, that prisoned in my 

breast. 
Rebellious throbs, turned traitor like the rest. 



86 SONNETS 



My love, did'st wonder that so mute I stood 
Before thee yesterday ? That my poor art 
Of pleasing, turned unfaithful to me, should 
Have forced me play a most ungracious 
part ? 
When our hands met, mine chilled thy gen- 
erous palm, 
My stumbling tongue found naught but 
commonplace ; 
Although thy presence fell like healing balm 

Upon me, yet I dared not read thy face. 
Love, think me not ungrateful, doth speech 
live 
In words alone, her body ? No, for oft 
Her fiery soul to silences she'll give, 

Inhabits down-cast looks and sighings soft. 
Oh, would'st thou list to mine, no words 

could be 
More eloquent, more flattering to thee. 

VI 

'Twas my first sorrow since our souls had met; 

Fate laid it in my hand and coldly smiled. 
I hid it in my bosom, there, tear-wet. 

It sank upon my heart, though I beguiled 



SONNETS 87 



Thee as I thought, and all the world beside 
With semblance gay, and spite the growing 
pain, 
Flung back the challenge and my grief defied; 
To none but mine own soul would I com- 
plain. 
But thy keen-sighted love stretched out a hand 
And cried : " I see thy sorrow ; lend it me." 
Then timidly I gave at thy command ; 

But when thou did'st return it presently. 
Thy touch had made a jewel bright and rare. 
Which henceforth proudly on my breast I 
wear. 

VII 

Last night I sat alone with memory. 

Around me dusk was thickening into dark; 
Through the close air bats circled noiselessly; 
The August night hung heavy, with no spark 
Of light to pierce it, till forth-issuing dim 

Beneath the eastern arch, the weary moon 
Toiled up the steep of heaven. Her herald 
grim, 
The screech-owl his weird song began to 
croon. 
Then memory showed pictures of my past, 
Of childhood, youth, joy, grief, gone long 
ago. 



SS SONNETS 



Methought thou stoodest by : unmoved thou 
wast 
As one who looks upon a painted woe. 
My yearning soul called thine, but silence 

grew, 
As death itself had stepped between us two. 

VIII 

Before I saw thee, love, I sighed for thee. 

I missed thee in the spring-time of the year, 
In many a dream and golden revery, 

My longing heart, true prophet, felt thee 
near. 
Yet knew thee not. As oft a weary child 
Frets for he knows not what till sleep's calm 
breast ^ 

Receives him, so, astray mid fancies wild, p 

I saw thee and my soul sank into rest. 
At Eros' shrine I worshipped as a Greek 
With deep, vague reverence, while his wan- 
dering eyes. 
To point his prayer, his pictured god do seek, 
And roving, feel with sudden, sweet sur- 
prise. 
The god's warm power strike from some 

maiden fair ; 
And straightway into passion turns his prayer. 



SONNETS 89 

IX 

I love thee not alone for what thou art, 

Though in thy person store of wealth I find, 
I love in thee my nature's better part. 

Fair dreams and fancies of my youthful 
mind. 
O'er thee her golden glamour gay Romance 

Flings smiling ; in thee Poesy again 
Doth walk the earth ; my lost ideals enhance 
Thy greatness with a pleasure that's half 
pain. 
Or is't not rather, love, that they are thine ? 

The essence of all aspiration thou ? 
And these poor feeble counterparts of mine 
Leap forth to claim thee for their author 
now : 
As all night long ere coming of the sun 
The moon sends forth his light, which seems 
her own. 



Dost thou remember how a silence fell 
Between us when beneath the stars we 
stood ? 
Our light talk dropped, above it, we knew 

well, 
Swept ever on love's strong and silent flood 



90 SONNETS 



Drawing us each to each, though not one 
word 
We spoke of love. Pale grew the rosy west, 
Earth deeply breathed in slumber, ocean 
heard, 
With answering murmur gently her caressed, 
The flowers sighed softly to the wooing wind. 
The maiden moon sank in a cloud's em- 
brace ; 
When love moved all things, did not nature 
kind 
Speak for us both ? Thy soul sprang to thy 
face, 
Imperious summoned mine to pay love's debt; 
As mine flashed back love's answer, our lips 
met. 



